


Emotion Can Be A Powerful Thing

by GrapeEscape



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: An excuse to write about my favorite character, Awkwardness, Based on an old story and being revamped, Character Development, F/M, Fake Science, Maybe a little angst, Pseudo-depression, Rating May Change, Second-Hand Embarrassment, There will be technobable but i will try my best to make it sound good, Yall im serious it is AWKWARD, lots of feels, no beta we die like men, repost
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:21:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24615976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrapeEscape/pseuds/GrapeEscape
Summary: Ensign Valencia Davis lost everything when the Caretaker dragged Voyager into the Delta Quadrant. This is the story of how she got it all back with a lot of help from some new friends._Starts season 2, just before episode 25, "Resolutions"
Relationships: Vorik (Star Trek) & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	1. An apple a day doesn't always work...

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Emotion Can Be A Powerful Thing](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/630787) by TheNerdess. 
  * Inspired by [K'shatrisu, Ha'kel t'du wilat? Foreigner, Where is your home?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23644267) by [Ardala91](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ardala91/pseuds/Ardala91). 



> If you happened to read this when it was first posted of FFN way back in 2017, forget it. My writing skills have improved greatly over the years, to the point where I can't even make myself finish reading the first chapter of the original. However, I really liked the idea of the first one, and I've been unable to completely forget it for years. Basically, this is just going to be a complete overhaul of that fic. I'm taking a sledgehammer to everything I once loved and (hopefully) doing a Neville Longbottom with it. 
> 
> That being said, I won't be deleting the original fic for Archival purposes (and the fact that I have LONG forgotten the password), and you can and will still be able to find it under the same name, but PLEASE, don't even try to compare them because aside from the characters and a few Major Plot Points, it may not be recognizable beyond the first chapter. So, read if you like (at your own risk, mind you), but it's just going to remain as a very fond early draft.
> 
> Also, I would like to thank Ardala91 for inspiring me to write this in the first place, and then go back and seriously revisit it again what feels like so many years later. I may not have ever said anything to you before, but you work is absolutely wonderful and I can't wait for the conclusion of your story!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this, because the thought has been plaguing me forever!

Ensign Valencia Davis hated the Delta Quadrant.

She hated everything about it. Not only had it brought her here against her will, forced her to fight in violent, unprovoked battles with random alien species, and permanently separated her from everyone she once knew and loved, it changed her. Hardened her. It made her close herself off from the rest of the galaxy, focused solely on her destination. She felt alone, even among her own crewmates, even though she knew they would be more than willing to invite her in if only she'd let them, but that wasn't an option.

After duty shifts, Valencia often found herself on her bed with a cup of tea and a PADD, hiding even from her own roommate. On those rare occasions when her roommate actually _was_ able to drag Valencia out of her room, her lack of contribution to any part of a conversation led others to eventually ignore her, allowing her to sit on the edges of the mess hall and attempt to drown herself in in another PADD, looking on wistfully at the many close friendships blossoming around her but refusing to allow herself the pleasure. 

Those days, much like tonight, she would sink into her bed, attempting to ignore the complete _nothing_ she felt gnawing inside of her, feeling like an escape pod in the void of space whose thrusters had burnt out, half wishing she were Vulcan so she wouldn't feel this way. Or any way for that matter.

 _Ahhh, to be emotionless. Such an ignorant bliss,_ she thought to herself. _Then again, if one is emotionless, they wouldn't feel the bliss that would come from being emotionless._ She smirked to herself. _Ha, listen to me_ , she thought wryly, _Alone in my bedroom, wishing I were Vulcan because I'm too scared to make a friend. I'm just a coward…_

Uncomfortable with her new train of thought, Valencia rolled over on her bed once again and contemplated getting up. She thought about her roommate, Brande, who she knew would be sitting in the main room. All she had to do was walk through the door and Valencia would have an immediate friend. After all, Brande had been making strides since their first night together to be her friend, surely the offer still stood, right?

She was about to throw her leg over the edge of the bed, but something deep in the back of her mind stopped her from doing so. Some old fear of being rejected kept her in her place. It told her that her roommate only brought her along tonight out of guilt, maybe obligation, and that she didn't really like Valencia. Even if it were genuine, she certainly wouldn't feel the same after how Valencia returned the gesture by basically ignoring her all night. She wanted to argue, but she didn't have the energy, so she rolled over, thinking she would never find an escape, and lay in the deafening silence of her dark room.

* * *

Hours passed, yet Valencia merely fluttered between consciousness and slumber. Brande had come in, changed, and laid down to sleep long ago, and yet Valencia was still awake. She rolled onto her back. "Computer, what time is it?" she asked quietly.

"The time is 1235 hours," it responded in the same hushed tone. 

Valencia sighed and crossed her arms over her face, exhausted. _Maybe I should go see the Doctor before my duty_ _shift_ …

* * *

Valencia rolled out of bed at 1445, still exhausted from the previous night. Sluggishly, she slumped to her bathroom, quite ready for a nice sonic shower. As the low, gentle vibrations steadily woke her up, Valencia remembered her promise to herself that she would go see the Doctor when she woke up. Hurrying so she would have enough time to drop by before her duty shift, she climbed out of the shower and into her uniform. She grabbed her comb from beside the sink and tried to make her short curls listen to reason, but she finally gave up with a huff. Letting them flop above her eyes, she brushed her teeth and left the bathroom. On her way out, she grabbed her combadge off the dresser and glanced at the photo next to it. 

It was a shot of her graduation from the academy. Her mother had just barely made it there because she got stuck in traffic on the way with her brother and stepfather. Her twin brother, Shay, had been so proud of her that day, he wouldn't talk about anything else. When she got assigned as a xenobiologist on Voyager, they had even thrown a going away party for her. That night, Shay told her how much he was going to miss her, but she had just brushed it off, telling him they were just going to pick up Tuvok, trap the Maquis, and be right back.

_"You don't understand, Val. I know we're twins and all, but I still feel like an older brother to you," he explained. "You're going off into the great unknown, you could get killed, and I can't do anything about it. I can't be there to protect you..." he explained, hands curled near his heart._

_"Why do you assume I'll need protection?" she questioned coldly, her anger building. "I'm a woman now, Shay, not some naïve little girl! I knew what the risks were-"_

_"But did you bother to think how they would affect us?!" he countered._

_Valencia glared, actually glared at her brother, for the first time in years. "You've had your chance to say your piece for years before now, so don't try to make it sound like I'm destroying the family. It's my life, Shay. Don't tell me what to do with it," she growled._

His hurt expression had stung her a little bit then, but she was so mad at the time that she hadn't cared. A day into their mission, she decided that when they got back, she would apologize to him in person, but almost 3 years later, she hasn't had the chance...

With a huff, Valencia walked out of her room, eager to forget the memory. She left her shared quarters, not even bothering to check if Brande were in the common area and briefly considering hiding the photo. Making her way to the mess hall on deck two, she wondered about how she was going to bring up her issue in Sickbay. She hadn't the slightest idea of what was wrong with her, so Valencia supposed she should just answer the Doctor's questions, right? 

Exiting the turbolift, Valencia avoided making eye contact with anyone on her way to the mess hall, lest they try to strike up a conversation. Upon entering, she noticed immediately that 30 minutes before the beginning of Gamma shift was the prime time for breakfast for Gamma-shifters, unlike 10 minutes ahead of time when she usually arrived. She crossed the room to the replicator and ordered herself some 'breakfast', if you could even call it that, seeing as the readout on the replicator showed the time to now be 1532, allowing her about 5 minutes to eat. 

"Computer, Valencia Gamma-2 please." With a beep and a whirring hum, a steaming cup of Irish Breakfast Tea, which she knew already contained sugar and milk in it, materialized in the little alcove next to a small plate with an omelet and two pices of toast. 

Valencia knew she was practically throwing away her replicator rations, but she was in a rush and didn't want to risk being hungry later by eating - and not finishing - whatever Neelix had made for them. Carrying her food over to the small table in the corner by the window, she quietly ate her food. It was still fairly early until the end of Alpha shift, but she saw a few Alpha-shifters enter the mess hall, probably because they had finished all their work early and there weren't any current threats that she knew of. While she people-watched, she noticed a few crewmembers for the first time. A younger Betazoid woman Playing 3D chess, some Asian guy chatting with Neelix animatedly over his "better-than-coffee" not-coffee. Then, she saw the doors to the mess hall open once again and in walked a young Vulcan she had seen only a handful of times.

 _Oh look, she thought dryly. It's my spirit animal. Or is that wannabe spirit animal?_ She smirked _._ Chakotay would have her hide if he heard her thinking like this.

Glancing up from the PADD he was reading, he got a cup of something from Neelix. He made his way to a nearby table and sat, still reading his PADD and taking the occasional sip from his steaming mug. She realized she was staring with a jolt and looked quickly at the readout on the replicator. 1539. Crap! Valencia wolfed down the rest of the omelet and downed the rest of her tea. Grabbing the last slice of toast, she carried the plate and put it back in the replicator for recycling, snarfing the toast as she went. She raced out the doors and down the hall to the turbolift, grateful that the biolab was on the same deck as Sickbay. Reaching the turbolift, Valencia ran in. "Deck five," she said hurriedly. The turbolift hummed with life and she felt her stomach sink slightly with the movement. Then, then doors opened and she was off again, hurrying through the corridors to Sickbay.

When she arrived, the doors slid open to greet her. Valencia stepped past the threshold of Sickbay, allowing the doors to close behind her with a whish. Then, the Doctor walked through and saw her by the doors. 

"Is there something I can do for you, Ensign?" he asked, seeming somewhat agitated. 

"Ah, well-"

The Doctor's face changed from his usual not-totally-happy look to an annoyed one in a fraction of a second. "I'll have to ask you not to waste my time. I have several important experiments running at the moment, and need to keep an eye on them as much as possible. Do you need my help or not?" he interrupted. Valencia glanced behind him, seeing a mess of stuff going on near the surgical bay and stood a little straighter.

"Yes," she began, "I've been having a great deal of trouble sleeping for quite a while now. At first, I thought it was just stress from work, but now I'm not so sure, but if you're too busy right now I can just-" she trailed off, losing he confidence as she finished.

"Nonsense," he interrupted--again. The Doctor quickly grabbed a medical tricorder from a nearby cart and called her a little deeper into Sickbay, out of the way of anyone who might try to get in.

"Hold still," he said, scanning her body while carefully circling her. The Doctor's eyebrows knit together and he dropped his mouth into a hard line. "Your serotonin levels are low, though not dangerously so, but your hippocampus is roughly 1.34% smaller than the scans in your medical records..." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, concern and skepticism written all over his face, then back to the tricorder, beckoning her with his hand to follow him into his office without ever looking up.

"Ensign," he began, closing the tricorder and turning to look at her with a serious expression. "Exactly when did these symptoms begin?"

"Uh, I-I'm not actually sure on a date…" She fumbled and turned her face to the doctor, startled by the annoyance on his face. 

"Then _guess_ , would you?"

"M-maybe 4 or 5 months…" she paused, "after we came to the Delta Quadrant." Her voice dropped when she realized how stupid she sounded saying that out loud.

"Ensign!"

"I'm sorry! It just didn't seem all that important compared to everything else we've been through!" she defended.

The Doctor sighed and looked at her seriously, "Ensign, would you say that a crewman should come to me if he has developed a limp?"

She knitted her eyebrows together, "Yes, I would…"

"Then why would a mental limp not be just as important?" Valencia looked down at her feet and felt her face heat as he continued, "Your mental health is an important part of your daily life, and without it, you will suffer--both as an individual and as a productive crewmember. What if your avoidance of me until now had caused someone's else's injury due to negligence or apathy?"

"I'm sorry doctor, I didn't think of that."

"No, you didn't." He sighed again, turning away from her and putting the tricorder away. "I don't mean to whip you, Ensign, but I do wish you had come to me sooner. All I can do now is treat it as it is before your chemical imbalance gets worse. Seeing as we don't have a counselor on board, I could look into programming a counseling hologram…" Valencia winced, and he backpedaled a bit, "Or perhaps we could journal your symptoms and treatment?"

She cocked her head, not quite seeing the purpose.

He waved his hand easily, "Well, studies have shown, of course, that talking about your emotions and having a trusted advisor to help you deal with them, such as a counselor or close friend, can help restore a normal chemical balance in the brain. Do you have anyone like that, Ensign Davis?"

Valencia shook her head sheepishly.

"And so," he continued, making no comment, "seeing as you have an inexplicable aversion to a hologrammed counselor--despite it being no different than talking to me," me muttered, "I would recommend a written report." He turned around and grabbed a blank PADD from his back shelf and handed it to her. "There would be no face-to-face contact with anyone in order to ease the anxiety I assume you have, based on your reactions. Obviously, I would be reading your entries to make sure the physical treatments are having the desired effect on your actual mental state." He looked at her gently, and for the first time she actually saw that he seemed more than just a gruff hologram, like she could trust him with something as sensitive as this.

"...Thank you, Doctor."

"Just doing my job!" He smiled and ushered her back out into the main part of sick bay, pausing at a cart to load a hypospray. "This should decrease the shrinkage of your hippocampus and hopefully help return your serotonin levels back to normal," he said, gesturing to the hypo. "I will administer one dose every other day and adjust the dosages as your condition changes. Please record any and all symptoms--good or bad--on this PADD so that I may better understand your present situation and, hopefully, prevent it from happening in other crewmembers along the way." 

He pressed it up against her neck and the small prick and hiss let her know it was over. She winced a little and he set it back down behind him, facing her again. "I'm going to inform your supervisor of your time spent here, and if they give you any trouble send them my way." He chuckled lightly before his tone became serious, "It's going to be a very long journey, Davis." He paused, looking at Valencia thoughtfully with what one could only describe as a mixture of care and worry, "Please, don't force yourself to do it alone."

Valencia nodded her head tightly and gripped the PADD, already feeling the telltale sour taste in her mouth that came just before she cried, and she turned and left before she could embarrass herself.

She was able to hold in her tears until she reached the turbolift where a few escaped. She let them. This was a lot more serious than she thought, but knowing that the doctor was ready and eager to help eased the aching in her chest a little bit. Valencia wouldn't do this alone, even if it were only him by her side. As the turbolift neared its destination, she breathed out a sigh of release and wiped her eyes.

She could do this.


	2. Playing Ketchup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for checking out my second chapter! Fun fact, I have a Tumblr now! You can find me at https://escape-your-grape.tumblr.com   
> Feel free to ask me stuff and check out the fandom memes 😳

Valencia walked into the BioLab exactly 3 minutes late, much to her distaste, and was immediately halted by a very worried-looking Lieutenant Wildman. 

"I was told you were in Sick Bay, are you ok?" Wildman's motherly concern was absolutely oozing from her voice, and any thought of hiding her status from such a force vanished like smoke.

"I… Well, I'm not really sure," Valencia replied haltingly. She was sure her eyes were still at least a little red, so she tried to make her way to her station only to be blocked by Wildman again and sighed. "How do I put this," she mumbled. "I've just had a surprising diagnosis that, while not life-threatening, is quite jarring, I suppose." Valencia put her hand gently on Wildman's upper arm and tried for a weak smile while moving her gently out of her way. "Frankly, I'm not sure I want to talk about it right now, so why don't you go ahead and tell me what I've been missing for the last 3 minutes?" Valencia dropped into her chair heavily, but her faint smile seemed enough to convince as Wildman still looked worried, but she nodded. 

"Actually, quite a lot," Wildman began, "Long story short, Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay have been quarantined to the planet we're now orbiting-" 

"What?!"

Wildman consoled Valencia back into her seat and continued, "They're not in pain now--stasis pods, actually--but whatever has caused this disease is only affecting them off-planet, so we're going to keep them in their pods until we can find a cure." 

Valencia nodded.

"Since you were in Sick Bay, I assume you saw the experiments The Doctor was running?" 

Valencia recalled. "Yes, but I didn't see much detail. It looked like soil samples, I believe."

Wildman walked around the lab to a large screen showing various chemical compounds which Valencia assumed were from the planet. "They are. Personally, my first hypothesis is some kind of chemical in the environment which remains inert unless removed from said environment. The Doctor is running some tests now on that while I try to isolate what might be causing their reactions."

"So when did this even happen?" Valencia asked.

"They sent down a party at the beginning of Alpha when you would have been getting off your last shift and tried to return at the beginning of Beta, presumably when you would have been going to sleep." Wildman continued adjusting some equations for reaction simulations as she talked. "I've been working since then to help, but I promise," wildman looked over her shoulder knowingly, "I'm going to take a break as soon as I finish this next sim." 

Valencia snorted, knowing that there would always be a "next simulation" to occupy her. She probably wouldn't stop until the Captain was back in her chair, lamenting about coffee.

"As long as you promise, ok? I have a feeling this could be a bacteria, although I do like your inert chemical hypothesis. I'll run some sims based on those variables and see where that goes," Valencia said over her shoulder as she pulled up the complete biological profile of the planet based on the scans that had been collected in the last 24 hours. 

"Sounds promising. Keep me updated," Wildman mumbled, now focused on her running simulations.

____

It was now two weeks into the quarantine, and every day had been just as stressful as the last. Valencia’s visits to the doctor had gone as scheduled with her having just received her 8th injection yesterday in Sick Bay after a double shift in the BioLab. Truthfully, it seemed like everyone that could be involved in biology or medicine was taking double shifts when they could, and The Doctor had been reminding them all to take breaks. 

“After all,” he had said to Valencia when she protested against taking a day off, “I am a hologram and don’t require rest, unlike you humanoids.” She had pouted at that, but he was right; this extra stress was really taking a toll on her body and mind.

Because of the stress on her body (and many missing reports on her mental health, much to The Doctor’s chagrin), Valencia decided the best use of her time was to take a day to rest in her quarters with some tea and catch up on her reports after a quick lunch. Maybe, if she were feeling particularly daring, she would even read an old novel.

Valencia snickered at herself and took a sip of her tea before snuggling into the Starfleet StandardTM bed with the PADD she had been recording her responses in. She had to admit, this form of therapy, although perhaps a little silly, seemed to be very effective. It reminded her of the little diary she had in primary school and came to loathe to even look at by the time she was in secondary. Even so, despite knowing The Doctor was reading these the day they were submitted, she felt as though she were merely writing a letter to an older version of herself. She supposed that tended to happen when one was left alone with their own thoughts like this, but at least it was a non-intrusive way for The Doctor to better understand her status.

Valencia finished her tea and her report just in time for her roommate Brande to come into the room, looking just as tense as Valencia had when she returned to the shared quarters the morning before.

“Hey, Val,” she greeted plainly before landing face-first in her bed and letting her legs hang off the end.

“Hey, Brande.” Valencia shifted on her bed, remembering The Doctor’s advice to try making more friends to help her chemical imbalance. She did some research, and logically, it was sound advice, but it still made her nervous as hell in practice. She was only just now making some strides in her friendship with Samantha (as she insisted upon being called), but Valencia thought it might be a good idea to finally reach out to her roommate. 

Time to attempt some Small Talk.

“...So, Neelix’s latest stew, huh?” she asked, cringing.

No small task.

“Huh?” Brande lifted her head from her rumpled covers and looked at Valencia, clearly perplexed.

Valencia started to sweat, “Well- I know you complain about his food a lot, a-and you seem a little sick so… I dunno, I thought maybe you had just come back from the Mess Hall.” She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and blushed in embarrassment, but instead of the silence she was expecting would drag on, Brande groaned theatrically instead and dropped her head back to the bed.

“No, actually,” she grunted, “I have a date tonight and I’m kind of dreading it.”

Valencia’s worry disappeared in an instant. This was not at all as hard as she thought it was going to be.

“What about you? You never talk to me unless it’s to get out of a holodeck invitation,” she asked, turning her squished head to face Valencia, making her panic.

Ah, never mind.

She fumbled over her words, caught off-guard by the sudden inquiry, but Brande saved her with a wave of her hand as she finally sat up. “No don’t freak out, I’m not upset. Just a little surprised, that’s all.”

Valencia wanted to roll her eyes, but she was also very thankful for Brande’s admission. “Well,” she took a breath to calm her nerves before continuing, “I thought it was finally time to get to know you as more than a roommate. I-I mean, it’s been what, almost 3 years?” Valencia glanced away and shrugged to play up the nonchalance, but inside her guts were doing summersaults. When she looked at Brande though, she was a little startled by her suddenly excited face.

“What changed?” Brande yelled more than asked, leaning forward on her knees with a grin.

Valencia tugged at her fingers, “W-well, It’s a little difficult to explain…”

“Oh, never mind, it doesn’t really matter! I’ve been waiting for this since our first week together!” She pumped her fist in the air a little and rocked back onto her bed.

Valencia was taken aback. This was a positive reaction, but much more enthusiastic than she was expecting. It was nerve-wracking.

“Uh-”

“Oh!” Brande interrupted, a bright smile on her face, “This is perfect! You can go with me on my date tonight!”

“What.” That was not at all perfect.

Brande dismissed her with another wave of a hand, “No really, I didn’t wanna tell the guy ‘no’ but I really don’t want to be alone with him, in any sense of the word.” She clasped her hands together and lightly begged, “Please go with me? I’ll tell him I misunderstood the point and thought he just wanted to hang out.”

Valencia wanted to say no, but she knew this would be a good way to get out of her shell. Besides, she’d be helping out her roomma- friend. She glanced at Brande again and couldn’t resist the desperate look in her eye and caved in with a sigh, “Yeah, ok, I’ll go with you…”

“Thank you!” Brande leapt up from her bed, “I was dreading going alone! Besides, this will be a good way to finally get to know each other, right?”

Valencia managed a chuckle at that, “Yeah, it will”

“Computer, what time is it?” Brande asked, hands on her hips. 

“The time is now 0924 hours.”

"Oh, damn. We've only got 30 minutes until we're supposed to meet in the Mess Hall."

Valencia took that as her queue to change into her uniform rather than show up in her pajamas a d took to the bathroom after a stop at her small dresser. Her hands were shaking gently as she set the bundle of clothes on the counter beside the sink and she decided to splash some cool water on her face. This wasn't the end of the world, just a meal with some new friends. Hopefully. Actually, it was doubtful Brande's "date" would want to be friends after this, but who knew. Maybe he was weird like her. Oh god, what if he thought she was weird? And not just quirky, but downright creepy? She barely spoke half the time, what would she even say?!

Valencia slapped herself on the cheek. "Bad train of thought!" she scolded quietly to herself in the mirror, her gaze hard. "You're going to go in there, have a good time, and make The Doctor proud! And Sam, and Brande!"

Satisfied, she "hmphed" at herself and changed quickly to meet Brande waiting for her in their living area.

"Ready?" Brande asked?

Valencia nodded resolutely, "Yep!"

"Oh, new vigor, I like it!" Brande commented as she led the way through the door.

"Thanks." Fortunately Valencia's voice apparently didn't let the small shake in her knees slip through, but the farther they walked towards the turbolift the more they felt like wet noodles.

Too bad it wasn't pasta night.


	3. Not-Quite Date Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not dead! :D

1000 was just a tad late for a Gamma dinner, but that meant that the mess hall was a little more cleared out for a better date. There were still about 10 other people in the mess hall relaxing after their meal with a PADD and two more playing a board game to the side. Valencia nodded in greeting to Neelix, who after the few years of their journey had come to lightly respect her aversion to people even if he didn't understand it. He still tried to talk with her often, but he was smarter than he looked, and he knew when to leave her in peace. He smiled brightly and waved as he began to put away the majority of Gamma dinner, that is, the leftovers from Alpha breakfast with an additional meat option and a vegetable stew. 

Brande flinched when her name was called by a young blond ensign in a red uniform seated next to the Vulcan Valencia had noticed a few weeks ago. She glanced at Brande and gave her an encouraging look before they approached the table.

"Hey, Frank. Sorry if I'm a little late, I ran into my friend Val on the way here and asked if she wanted to join us for dinner!" Brande had all the friendly confidence of a homeworld shuttle hostess and smiled comfortably. Valencia didn't miss the small flash of relief that passed over Frank's face, however, far too familiar with the feeling herself. 

"Hello," she greeted plainly with a small bow to both ensigns before sitting down beside Brande.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Frank Yates! That sounds wonderful! I actually just saw Ensign Vorik and invited him to join us as well!" He gestured to the Vulcan on his left who nodded politely in greetings. 

Brande smiled his way, "Of course! Good to see you again so soon, Vorik." 

"And you as well, Ensign Hopkins." Neelix took his chance to cut in then to take drink orders and inform them of today's lunch specials: some kind of prawn in a spicy sauce, scrambled alien bird eggs with vegetables, mixed foraged vegetables from a nearby planet, and the vegetable stew from Beta dinner.

Valencia asked for water among their other requests and Neelix left them to mull their options.

"So, Vorik," Frank began, "I'm a little surprised to see you here right now. Aren't you on Alpha shift today?"

He nodded, "Yes, but it is my meal break at the moment. Unlike most other species, Vulcans require less rest and thus I am scheduled four additional hours each day." 

Brande nodded with a small laugh, "Yeah, I just left him the engine room an hour ago. Don't you usually take your break in your room?" 

"I do," he replied plainly.

There was a beat of silence before Frank broke in energetically, "So, Valencia, I haven't really gotten to know you yet! Surprising on a ship so small!"

Valencia laughed nervously and tucked a stray hair behind her ear, "Haha, yeah. I usually keep to myself, but I wanted to spend some time with Brande tonight so, uh, here I am!" 

"Well, it's good to finally meet you! I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving!" Frank stood up quickly from the table and the rest followed suit. 

"Hardly," Valencia heard Brande say to Vorik softly as she followed the group, "I saw him eat a heaping portion during our meal break." Vorik smirked ever so slightly while she chuckled, and Valencia felt a small twinge of sad envy at their casual friendship.

Neelix happily served their choices with Valencia deciding on the stew and daring to add a few alien prawns to the mixture. They returned to their seats and began to eat, and Valencia was almost surprised by the comfortable atmosphere. It wasn't as stressful as she had imagined, although the pressure to pay attention to the conversation should she be questioned was ever-present. 

Brande, despite her dismissive attitude in their shared quarters, was actually very conscious about Valencia's anxiety, only calling on her when needed, but not ignoring her. She found the silence between them companionable, which greatly contrasted her feelings toward Ensign Yates. 

Vorik was more of a wildcard, seeing as he didn't often voluntarily add much to the conversation unless called upon. It was a little nerve-wracking, since she was so used to working with assertive Type-A Starfleet personnel all the time, but she understood Vulcans as well, so she tried to remind herself that this was just their way.

"Valencia?" Brande put a calm hand on her shoulder.

Lost in thought, Valencia forgot that she was also supposed to be paying attention to the conversation as well.

She blushed, "Oh, uh-Sorry! W-what was the question?" 

Brande ignored her stutter like it had never happened and responded with a somber face, "We were talking about the Captain."

"Oh."

Frank hung his head, his loose hair shaking a little. "It seems so unfair," he said, "for just one stupid little bug to condemn them for life?" He met everyone's eyes, a small, wet look to them.

"While unfortunate, the native insects are only carrying out their natural processes" Vorik stated. 

"I know that," he snapped,"I just… I just wish there were more I could do to help, y'know?"

Brande looked over at you with a sad smile, then a small knowing look and you realized she was giving you an in.

"W-well, everyone in the Bio Lab is working as diligently as possible to fix this." Valencia chuckled a little, "Actually, the only reason I'm  not on shift right now is per Doctor's orders. He almost gave Sam-er, Ensign Wildman, a hypo just to  make her sleep."

"Do you think they're gonna be stuck there forever?" His eyes were watering more now, although you weren't exactly sure why. True, it was sad and disheartening that the Captain and Commander Chakotay might not be able to come back, but she didn't quite understand being so heartbroken.

Regardless, she tried to be gentle, "No, I don't think so. One way or another, I'm sure we'll be able to think of something." Valencia shrugged and tucked her hair, "I mean there has to be  someone near this system that knows how to take care of this, right? Even if we don't, in the end…" She glanced at Brande, who gave her a supportive smile, making Valencia's head swim a little at how impressed she was with herself.

Frank sniffed a little, making Vorik turn to him with the face Valencia recognized as Vulcan ConcernTM, and he sat up a little straighter before pushing his hair back into place. "Yeah, you're right, this isn't hopeless." His eyes met hers with an intensity she had only seen in one other person, and it made her heart break a little, "I think you can do this, Ensign Davis. Thank you." He smiled at her softly, then jumped as Vorik began to stand.

"I am pleased to see that your confidence is placed rightly in our crew," he said with as gentle a face she's ever seen on a Vulcan, "however, I must return to Engineering." 

Brande sighed and leaned back in her chair with a small laugh, "I'll see you tomorrow, Vorik."

He lifted the collective trash off the table amidst quiet 'thank you's and said, "I will be looking forward to it," with a small quirk of his mouth. "Ensign Davis," he stopped beside Valencia and met her eyes, "it was a pleasure to meet you. I wish you luck in your research." She bowed her head politely and he left your group, leaving her feeling both a little anxious, but otherwise content.

There was a pause before Brande clapped her hands casually and stood up from the table, slightly startling Valencia. "Well, Frank, this was fun, but I think we're ready to settle in to our quarters for the night," she said, gesturing to Valencia, who nodded. 

"O-oh, that's fine! I had a good time, too!" He stood from the table as Valencia did the same and extended his hand to her, "It was nice to finally meet you, Valencia." His eyes held that same intensity as before, and she almost struggled to cordially take his hand and shake it. 

"Nice to meet you too, Frank. I… I hope to see you again, sometime."

He smiled warmly, despite Valencia knowing he was still holding back his sadness. "I hope so too," he replied.

"Have a good night!" Brande called, already walking towards the exit, "See ya, Neelix!" Neelix shouted his goodbyes as Valencia followed her back to the hallway, only finally releasing a big sigh once she'd entered the turbolift. She righted herself, smiling at Brande, who did the same and grinned in return.

"Thank you," she said, "I don't think I could have handled that if you and Vorik hadn't been there." 

Valencia chuckled. 

"What?" Brande asked.

"I-I don't think he could have, either." 

Brande cocked her head in confusion. 

"Well," Valencia began, "Didn't you notice that he invited Vorik to join him? I think he was either just as uncomfortable, either with nerves or, uh, maybe an unwillingness to do it at all." 

Brande laughed and sighed as the lift opened again and they continued to their room. "Wow, I was so nervous he was gonna try something on me that I didn't even notice!"

Valencia was surprised. "Really?"

"Well yeah, I really just consider him a friend, I guess. I don't think I want anything to change between us. Why?"

"W-well, I don't know, you just seemed so… so confident, I suppose." Valencia tucked her hair again as they neared their quarters, "I don't think I could have been so casual, not the way you were tonight." 

Brande snorted as the door opened and they returned to their common room before her face brightened, "Oh, speaking of: I thought you did great tonight!"

Valencia's movements stuttered a bit as she sat heavily on the couch, "H-Huh?"

"Well," Brande blushed an ribbed a hand over the back of her neck, "I realize this evening was hard for you. I mean, you spend 3 years living in the same room with someone, you're bound to pick up on some things, yknow?" She sighed and sat on the couch next to Valencia, looking away, "I'm sorry if this is awkward for you, but I just want you to know that I appreciate what you're doing. I know you're not doing it  for me or anything, but I guess I'm just… relieved? Excited?" She snorted, breaking the tension the Valencia felt building up in her shoulders. "I'm happy you chose me I guess," she continued, finally meeting Valencia's eyes with a smile, "I really did mean it when I said I've been wanting to be your friend since day one." 

Valencia felt her high spirits behind to fall with guilt, but Brande jumped to console her, "No no, wait! I'm not mad or anything! Let's just…" She bit her lip and looked to the side for a moment, humming to herself. Suddenly, a hand was thrust in her face, and Valencia looked up to see Brande beaming at her.

"Hi, I'm Brande!"

Valencia snickered to herself as she placed her hand in Brande's, feeling a bit silly. "Hello, I'm Valencia." Brande 'ooh'ed at her name and carried the conversation as the settled into the couch for the first time together. They talked about Frank, old relationships, the academy, engineering, Vorik, and even Vulcan culture.

"Wow, I didn't know you were an exchange student, too, Val!" Brande's eyes were practically glowing in excitement.

"Well just for a year, it's nothing unusual," she replied casually.

"What made you want to go there? It's so hot, I would die," she said dramatically as she mimed melting into the couch.

Valencia snickered at her theatrics and sighed contentedly, "Actually it was my neighbor. I grew up in San Francisco, and you know there's a decent-sized Vulcan population there. She was a resident scientist at the academy, alongside my step-dad, and, well, I dunno, she kind of watched me grow up. Her name was Un'fal, and, for a Vulcan, she was very cranky." They both shared a snicker at that. "She was actually who got me interested in biology in the first place, and kind of acted as my mentor for a long time!"

Brande smiled fondly, and Valencia felt her heart grow warm. She couldn't help her own smile, finally feeling so natural once again.

"W-well, what about you?" she asked once she realized that she'd been staring at the cushions just a little too long, "Where did you study?"

Brande perked up excitedly, "I got to study on Andoria for six months!"

"Hey, we weren't too far from each other!" Valencia paused, "Wait, isn't the foreign exchange program on Andoria aimed at military officers...?"

Brande grinned and clicked her tongue, "Yep! I changed my major." A faraway look crossed her face, "I couldn't stand to be in that frigid weather for another six months. So anyway, here I am!" She posed with a wink, and Valencia laughed as she stood up.

"What, too cold? I thought Vulcan was too hot?"

Brande gasped as she followed suit and they made their way to their bedroom, "It is! They're both extremes! You do realize that a high is -23°, right?!"

Valencia laughed at her indignant response as the door slid shut behind them.

**Author's Note:**

> As I said at the beginning, this was inspired by Ardala91's fic "K'shatrisu, Ha'kel t'du wilat? Foreigner, Where is your home?," and if you love Vorik, you should deffinitely check it out! There are more chapters on FFN, but it's being revised as it's added to A03, so you may prefer to wait for the updates as they are completed.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


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